Tobacco-cleaning machine.



G. M. SPIERER.

TOBACCO CLEANING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24, 1909.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

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0. M. SPIEBER. TOBAGGO CLEANING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1909.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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C M SPIERER Tomaso CLEANING MAGHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 24, 1909. Y

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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' WITNESSES v QMQRMM CHARLES MOSES SPIERER, OF CAIRO, EGYPT.

TOBACCO-CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 18, 1910.

Application filed November 24, 1909. Serial N 0. 529,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, CHARLES M. SPIERER, a citizen of Switzerland, and aresident of Cairo, Egypt, have invented a new and ImprovedTobacco-Cleaning Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:to provide a machine whereby the surface dust may be positively removedfrom tobacco leaves; to provide a structure wherein the leaves are heldin position while being forcibly brushed; to provide means whereby thedust or dirt as removed from the surface of the leaf is carried away orreceived in a receptacle; and to provide a construction which is simple,durable, efiicient and easy to repair.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in the structureillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters ofreference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of a machine constructedin conformity with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of thesame, partly in section, with the top of the dust casing removed; Fig. 3is a fragmentary detail view of the construction of the carrier drums;Fig. 4 is a detail view in section, of the dusting brushes, carrierbelts and drums, and side wall of the dust receptacle; Fig. 5 is adetail view in elevation, of the means employed for supporting thebearings of the dusting rolls; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan, partly insection, of the securing plates for mounting the bearings of the dustingrolls.

The particular use to which the present invention is applied is for theremoval of contamination or dust from tobacco leaves.

During the various steps of manipulation the leaves of tobacco areexposed in the presence of dust under conditions wherein the dust isdeposited and adheres to the leaves. Also the leaves are exposed tocontamination from insects, as well as personal contact with theoperatives. And further, the leaves offer peculiar desirability for thedeposit of certain forms of eggs of insects, which lie dormant untilconditions becoming favorable the larvae germinate, destroying thecommercial value of the article manufactured from the tobacco.

tamination becomes the principal object of the present invention.

With the various objects above stated in view the drums 7, 7 and S, 8are joined by a continuous belt, which is formed of a plurality ofstrands or strings which are sup ported centrally to permit the passageof I air through them, and also the contact of the fibers of brushingrolls. In the preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Iconstruct the belt from endless strings 9, 9 and 10, 10. To receive andguide the wrappings of the said strings the drums 7 and 8, are providedwith a series of parallel grooves 11, 11. The separation of the grooves11, 11 form the spaces between the various stretches of the strings 9, 9and 10, 10, these spaces being wide or narrow as the ends of the tobaccobeing handled admit. The drums 7, 7 are mounted upon horizontal framingbeams 12, 12 in suitable bearings formed in standards 13, 13. Theframing beams 12, 12 are supported on uprights 1%, 14 upon which aresuspended the drums 8, 8, which are mounted in suitable bearings inbrackets 15, 15. The drums 7, 7 are disposed much closer to each otherthan are the drums 8, 8. Further, the disposition of the drums 7, 7 isintermediate or between the drums 8, 8. With this position of the twopairs of drums 7 7 and 8, 8 the bottoms of the grooves 11, 11 formed ineach pair aline, or the grooves of the pairs pass, those of the pair 7,7 extending past the line between the bottoms of the grooves in the pair8, 8. By this means, when the strings 9, 9 and 10, 10 are reeved uponthe drums 7, 7 and 8, 8 they are, within the space between the drums 7,7, brought together with greater or less tension, as the case may be. Atone end of the frame constituted by the beams 12, 12 and uprights 14,14]; the under roller of the pair 8, 8 is removed from the under rollerof the pair 7, 7, forming thereby an exposed section of the belt formedby the strings 10, 10 which constitutes a feeding table for receivingthe leaves of tobacco. The strings 9, 9 and 10, 10 are reeved upon thedrums 7, 7 and 8, 8 in a manner similar to that employed in certainforms of rope transmission devices. That is,the string is passed fromthe groove in the near drum over a corresponding groove in the far drum,to be returned through and in the same to the first drum and thereextended To remove the above stated dust and conaround a groovesucceeding the groove just previously occupied. This arrangement fillssuccessive grooves on one of the drums and necessitates a transferdevice whereby the string returning from the far drum and out of thelast groove therein is returned across the drumsto the first groove ofthe so-called near drunr' In this case, this is accomplished by means ofguide pulleys 16, 16. It is also desired to maintain a constant stretchor pull on the various strings forming the belt between the differentpairs of drums, and for this purpose, the strings being crossed on thedrums, as just above described, they are passed under a suspensionpulley 17 upon which is mounted a tension weight 18. The weight 18 maybe varied to suit any desired condition of tautness desired to beexerted upon the strings 9 and 10 of the belt.

Interposed between the drums 7, 7 and 8, 8 is a chamber 19. This chamberis formed of any suitable material and is provided with slot-s 20, 20and passages centrally located and closed by gates 21, 21. These slotsand passages are intended to pass the strings 9 and 10 of the belt intheir single and double arrangement. At the upper end of the chamber 19and extended therefrom is an air duct 22 which is suitably connectedwith an aspirator or air suction system. The lower end of the chamber 19is given a conical form, in the lower portion of which is an apertureclosed by a gate 23. The conical lower portion of the chamber 19 isadapted to receive and hold until extracted therefrom the detritusremoved from the tobacco leaves which is too heavy to be lifted by thedraft of air passing through the duct 22.

Extending across the combined belts 9, 9 and 10, 10 are dusting rolls24, 24 and 25, 25, the former two being disposed above the belts whilethe latter two are disposed below the belts. These rolls are mounted inbearings 26, 26 which are adjustably mounted upon screw threadedstandards 27, 27. The standards 27, 27 are suitably provided with handwheels 28, 28 and are mounted in screw thread engagement with plates 29,29 bolted to the beams 12, 12 by means of lag bolts 30, 30. Eachstandard 27 is provided with a lock nut 31, 31 which is set hard down onthe plate 29 after the standard is adjusted to raise or lower thebearing 26, as desired. By the mounting of the rolls 24, 24 and 25, 25such as just above described, it will be seen that the approximation ofthe said rolls .may be varied to impart to the brushing action a greateror less pressure on the bristles.

Any suitable driving mechanism may be employed for rotating the drums 7,7 and 8, 8 and the dusting rolls 24, 24 and 25, 25. The various shaftsof the rolls 24, 24 and 25, 25 may be suitably connected to produce adifferentiation in the rotary speed. This is preferred by me as itproduces upon the leaves at the instant of friction a variable contactupon the leaves which slightly as sists in the extraction of theadhering materials from the said leaves. The attach.- ment of thedriving mechanism to the drums 7, 7 and 8, 8 need be to one of theshafts only, the strings 9, 9 and 10, 10 being sufficient to rotate thefar drums. Further, if the pressure between the drums 7 7 and thestrings 10, 10 be suflicient no connection need be formed between theshafts of the drums 7, 7 and the drums S, 8.

Vith a machine constructed as above described and as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings the operation is as follows: The operative, one ormany, feeds leaves of the tobacco to be treated upon the extension ofthe belt 10 above referred to as constituting an extended section toform a feed table. Prior to being treated the leaves are made suitablyhumid or flexible so that they will not crack or break under the rippingstrain of the belts 9 and 10. From the extended section of the belt 10the leaves are carried forward in the direction shown by the arrow underthe first of the drums 7 and there overlaid by the strands of thestrings 9, 9 constituting the belt for the drums 7, 7 In this positionthe leaves are firmly retained and are delivered to and passed betweenthe first pair of dust-ing rolls 24, 25. The rolls 24, 25 are travelingmuch more rapidly and if desired in a rotary direction, such that thefibers 'of the brush are traveling in a direction opposite to thattraveled by the leaves. Any adhesives upon the surface of the leaves areby the brush fibers dislodged. 'The leaves are passed from the first toand through the second pair of rolls 24, 25, the more stubborn adhesivesbeing there removed. The detritus thus removed is lifted by the draft ofair and carried through the duct 22 into an airsystem wherein thedetritus is either ejected into the surrounding atmosphere or throughsultable arresters common to all air exhaust systems. Vhen the leavesare passed through the chamber 19 and on and between the last pair ofdrums 7 and 8, they are delivered by the belt 10 to a suitablereceptacle, cleaned of dust and other contamination.

Vhile I have herein described the belts 9 and 10 as being constructedfrom endless through which the brushes could act. upon the surface ofthe leaves, might be used instead of belts constructed from strands ofstrings, such as herein described. Further,

while I have described the brushes 24, 24, and 25, 25, as beingconstructed in the shape of rolls, 1 do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the use of such brushes only, as I am well aware thatfiat or motionless brushes, or flexible brushes secured on suitabledrums, might be used instead of brushing rolls, such as hereindescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A tobacco cleaning machine, comprising aplurality of belts adapted to travel together in contact to hold theleaves between the same and having elongated openings in said belt; anda plurality of rotary brushes operating on both sides of the joined beltto extend the bristles of said brushes through said openings to contactwith the held leaves.

2. A tobacco cleaning machine, comprising a plurality of belts havingelongated openings and adapted to travel in contact to hold the leavesbetween the same; cleaning brushes mounted across the said belts wherethe same travel together and operated to extend their bristles throughthe openings to operate upon the held leaves; and adjustable bearingsfor said brushes adapted to increase the impingement of said bristles onsaid leaves.

3. A tobacco cleaning machine, comprising a plurality of grooved drumssuitably mounted .so that their peripheries aline; a plurality of beltscomposed of endless strings reeved upon said drums, the strands whereofare adapted to connningle from the operation of the travel of saidbelts; and a plurality of rotary brushes mounted to extend across thesaid belts and the section thereof where the strands commingle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES MOSES SPIERER.

W'itnesses LOUIS BELRosn, AMEEN ABADEN.

